sorex

Thân thiện

A small sorex scurries through the leaf litter.

Definition

Noun 1. The genus that is the type genus of the family Soricidae: Sorex is the scientific name for the genus containing many typical, long-tailed shrews. It is the central or representative genus for the entire shrew family.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The common shrew, found across Europe and Asia, belongs to the genus Sorex.
  • Biologists studied several Sorex species to understand their high metabolic rates.
  • The fossil record shows that Sorex has existed for millions of years.

Advanced Usage

• In taxonomic classification: The name is used in formal biological nomenclature to categorize a specific group of insectivores. It is always italicized in scientific writing.
  • The specimen was keyed out as Sorex araneus.

Variants and Related Words

• Soricid (n): A member of the family Soricidae; a shrew.
  • All soricids are small, insect-eating mammals.
• Soricinae (n): The subfamily that includes the genus and its closest relatives.

Synonyms

• Shrew genus: A descriptive, non-scientific term for the genus.
• (The) type genus of Soricidae: A formal description of its taxonomic role.

Notes on Meaning

This word has a single, highly specific meaning in scientific English (zoology/taxonomy). It is not used in everyday conversation. Its meaning is fixed and refers exclusively to the biological genus.

Học thuật

Noun

1. type genus of the family Soricidae: shrews

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Sorex
• genus Sorex